The present invention relates to instruments that enable a user to control a vehicle remotely or while the user is located in the vehicle.
In military and law enforcement operations, there are times when remote vehicle operation is desirable. For example, to traverse hostile or enemy territory unmanned, a vehicle may be retrofit with a custom made, retrofitted electromechanical system that is operated remotely to control certain vehicle functions, such as speed, braking and steering. An operator remote from the vehicle can utilize a remote controller that communicates with the electromechanical system to operate the vehicle. The electromechanical system, in turn, performs physical functions, such as depressing an accelerator and turning a steering wheel. In this manner, the operator can remotely drive the vehicle through the hostile territory without being at risk of physical injury if the vehicle is attacked.
While this system has functional utility with the electromechanical system installed, an operator cannot directly operate the vehicle. Thus, the retrofitted bulky and complicated electromechanical system requires disassembly, removal and modification, to return to the vehicle to a state where an operator can directly operate the vehicle by manually using vehicle controls, such as the steering wheel, brakes and accelerator. This can be troublesome, particularly where there are few vehicles dedicated to perform operations in an area. Personnel cannot be tied up installing, removing or modifying retrofit systems, particularly where time is of the essence on a battlefield or in a hostile environment.
Further, such systems are only useful when a particular territory is known to be potentially hostile. As an example, when a convoy of vehicles traverses a territory and is unexpectedly attacked, there is little time to install or initiate a remote control retrofit electromechanical system. Instead of using a cumbersome remote control retrofit system, when one vehicle in a convoy is immobilized or its occupants become injured, another vehicle in the convoy typically is driven to move the disabled vehicle or to pick up the occupants. In turn, this can result in the second vehicle becoming compromised, along with its occupants.
Thus, while remote control systems for vehicles are currently available, there remains room for improvement in their function, operation and utilization.